The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that more than 500 Afghan children were killed or injured in 2024 due to explosions from unexploded ordnance and remnants of war. UNICEF stated that last year, it trained 3 million children and their guardians on how to identify and avoid the dangers of explosives.

On Sunday, January 5, UNICEF shared a photo on its social media account depicting children undergoing training to recognize and avoid explosive remnants.

The HALO Trust, a demining organization, announced on November 12 that over 65 square kilometers of land in 26 Afghan provinces remain contaminated with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The organization identified Afghanistan as one of the four most heavily mine-contaminated countries globally. It stated that HALO operates with 2,235 demining personnel across the country.

During the previous government, the Taliban planted landmines on roads and farmland without any systematic mapping, targeting former government and foreign forces’ security lines.

The continued contamination of Afghan land poses a severe risk to communities, particularly children. Enhanced demining operations and educational campaigns are essential to mitigate these risks and prevent further casualties.

The international community must increase its support for demining efforts in Afghanistan and provide resources to organizations like UNICEF and HALO Trust. Strengthening these initiatives can help safeguard lives and rebuild affected communities for a safer future.

The Canadian government has advised its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan due to the “dangerous security situation and instability.” It also noted that consular assistance in the country is highly limited.

On Friday, January 3, Canada issued a statement highlighting several reasons for the advisory, including “insecurity, terrorist attacks, armed conflicts, high crime rates, and widespread human rights violations.” Citizens were urged to avoid travel to Afghanistan under any circumstances.

According to the statement, “The Canadian Embassy in Afghanistan has suspended its operations. Our ability to provide consular assistance and other support in the country is highly restricted.”

The advisory also warned Canadian citizens currently in Afghanistan to stay in secure shelters. It stressed that they are “responsible for their own safety and that of their families.”

Canada further urged its citizens in Afghanistan to contact its Emergency Watch and Response Center for consular assistance if needed.

As of now, the Taliban officials have not responded to Canada’s advisory. Previous warnings from countries such as the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom also urged their citizens to avoid traveling to Afghanistan due to security risks.

The Canadian advisory reflects the ongoing concerns about Afghanistan’s security situation, highlighting the risks posed by terrorism, crime, and human rights violations. These warnings emphasize the challenges faced by the international community in engaging with Afghanistan under its current administration.

Despite assurances from the Taliban regime, such advisories underline the need for sustained efforts to restore security and build trust in the region. Addressing these issues will be critical for Afghanistan’s integration into the global community.

The World Food Program (WFP) has announced that due to a lack of funding, it can only provide aid to 7 million out of the 14 million hungry people in Afghanistan.

Pauline Eloff, the head of the emergency department at the WFP, wrote on X/Twitter on Thursday, January 2, that for every two families in need of food assistance, the organization can only help one.

The organization added that many families in remote areas of Afghanistan will need food assistance to survive the cold season.

The WFP clarified that to support those in need in these remote regions, it has already sent essential food supplies to some villages months in advance.

According to the WFP, it will be impossible for some families in these areas to survive the winter without the food aid provided by the organization.

The WFP has urged both countries and partner organizations to assist in supporting the people in need in Afghanistan during the cold season.

Earlier, on December 18, the WFP reported that nearly 15 million people in Afghanistan did not know where their next meal would come from. At that time, the organization emphasized that it needed $718 million for its ongoing efforts in Afghanistan for the next six months.

Additionally, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had previously stated that at least 23 million people in Afghanistan are in need of humanitarian assistance.

As Afghanistan faces deepening food insecurity, the international community’s support is becoming more crucial. The WFP’s call for financial help underscores the dire need for global collaboration to prevent further human suffering in the country. Without additional aid, the humanitarian situation could worsen, with the ongoing winter exacerbating the challenges faced by millions.